Friday, August 12, 2011

Blogging With Integrity



I recently put the "Blogging With Integrity" badge on my blog and I took the pledge. I am still figuring out what blogging with integrity really means. I read the definitions and had an understanding of the concept of integrity already, but when I made a promise to adhere to a code of integrity, I needed to know exactly what it meant to me. I looked at a list of synonyms. : character, decency, goodness, honesty, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness, rightness, uprightness, virtue, virtuousness


I believe my working definition will be the same one I try to apply to my daily life. Speaking the truth in love. Those are both challenging things. In life and in my blog, I am tempted not to speak the truth. There is sometimes a temptation to always paint myself in a positive light. There is a temptation to write what I feel about people at the moment, not the actual balanced reality of who they are. Honestly, I rarely give in to this one. It feels like gossip. Though my flesh finds gossip tempting, my spirit hates it. The medium of the blog holds me accountable in itself. The thing I struggle with is, once I have discovered the truth of a matter to the best of my ability, I need to wrap that truth in love. There are many true things I could say which could possibly be written with integrity, but if the motivation of my heart is to expose, embarrass, belittle or condescend, I need to rethink. If there is bitterness or a wound in my heart that surfaces when I am pondering a subject, I have some work to do to reconcile if it is possible. If it is not possible, for instance if the person evoking the bitter feelings is dead or the situation was a long time ago, my focus changes to the needs of the reader. Who needs to hear me spew my negative emotions?
 
That said, I think I will need to write about bad situations. Though I know I will not right societies' wrongs through this little blog. There are folks who are struggling in a bad situation who need to hear that some body else made it through. I have walked through and am walking in some difficult situations. I need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to decide when and if to share about these situations. I did not sign a pledge to blog the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Some of the "Whole Truth" I will keep to myself. The petty hurts, the things I saw or heard when someone didn't know I was there, the truths that bring embarrassment or shame, the critical and patronizing spirit are all powerful weapons in the hands of a writer. I think I do not trust myself to be wise enough to use them. I hope I will be wise enough to leave them alone.
 
I am really thankful to have a way to write in small amounts. It is like working out for me. It is an opportunity to build up my strength as a writer at your expense! I am thankful that there are folks who will help me out on this journey by reading and commenting. I hope I can keep my pledge of integrity and somehow weave in enough creativity to make it pleasant to read. I appreciate your help and encouragement. Maybe soon this blog will become less about me practicing and more about  touching hearts and blessing others. It could happen!
 
Snuggle up to God today.
 
Lawana

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I like your blog and your reasons for taking the pledge, I thought about taking it long and hard then didn't, I can't imagine not being a person of integrity in the first place and find that my pledge to God had already made that a part of my life as best I can, taking a pledge to others for a lesser reason seemed to cheapen that for me. So I didn't.

*Reading Between the Lines* said...

Hey...Lawana,
Thanks for keeping up this blog ;~)
I do look forward to your post each day. You inspire me to want to live for the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him.
Thanks for your willingness to be a friend to all.
Love ya bunches,
Mommy 2

Lawana said...

Thanks for your comments ladies. I value your friendship, God has blessed me with good friends.